MALIBU, Calif. -
Starter James Lomangino tossed 5.0 scoreless frames and three relievers combined for 4.0 scoreless innings as St. John's blanked Pepperdine, 2-0, to record its first Opening Day shutout since 1981. Lomangino had three strikeouts and scattered four singles in a no-decision, while Joey Christopher (1-0) worked 1.2 scoreless frames to earn the win for St. John's (1-0). Zach Lauricella went 1-for-3 with an RBI double and Jarred Mederos finished 1-for-4 with an RBI to lead the Red Storm. Corey Miller (0-1) allowed one run, unearned, and totaled seven strikeouts in 8.0 innings of work in the losing effort for Pepperdine (0-1).

Lomangino worked a 1-2-3 first and retired the first four batters before working around a one-out single in the second frame.

Miller, meanwhile, retired the first six batters he faced before Troy Dixon led off the third with a single.

Pepperdine had the first threat of the game in the third inning as Aaron Barnett singled with one out and Hutton Moyer was plunked with two outs to give the Waves runners on first and second. Lomangino responded, however, with an inning-ending strikeout. The Waves threatened again in the fourth with a one-out single and a two-out walk, but Lomangino again escaped without any damage.

Miller worked another 1-2-3 frame in the fifth and Lomangino worked around a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning by retiring the next three batters to end his outing.

St. John's went to the bullpen in the sixth as Christopher worked a quick 1-2-3 inning to send the game to the seventh still scoreless.

St. John's finally broke through in the seventh as a leadoff single set the table for a one-run frame. Michael Donadio singled up the middle to open the inning before Lauricella laid down a sacrifice bunt. Lauricella reached on an error, but was thrown out on the play as Donadio raced to third. After Miller rebounded with a strikeout, Mederos lined an RBI single into right field to give the Red Storm a 1-0 lead.

Pepperdine threatened in the bottom of the seventh, but stranded a pair of runners. Following a leadoff walk and a sacrifice bunt, Christopher induced a flyout and was lifted. Chris Kalica entered and Brandon Caruso reached on an infield single to deep short, but an infield popup ended the frame.

After a scoreless eighth from Kalica, the Red Storm added an insurance run in the ninth against the Pepperdine bullpen. Robert Wayman greeted Chandler Blanchard with a leadoff bunt single before Lauricella roped a one-out RBI double into the gap in right center to give St. John's a 2-0 advantage.

The Waves brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the ninth against Thomas Hackimer, but the reliever shut the door to close out the Opening Day victory. The righty retired the first two batters in the inning before pinch hitter Kolten Yamaguchi was plunked and Barnett reached on an infield single to give the Waves runners on first and second with two outs. Hackimer, however, stuck out Caruso to end the game and notch his first save of the season.

St. John's continues its series against Pepperdine on Feb. 15 with a 4 p.m. (ET) game.